Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 13 · 2026-08-29

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The chart below shows the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and 2011.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The provided bar chart compares the proportion of households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011

Overall, while the percentage of households in owned accommodation increased over the years with a slight drop in the final year, rented accommodation represented a downward trend with a mild increase in the last year.

In 1918, only around 23% of households in England and Wales owned accommodation, the lowest figure on chart, followed by an increase to around 31% in 1939 and it plateaued at this level in 1953 as well before experiencing another raise to nearly 41% in 1961. In 1971, the proportion for both owned and rented accommodation was 50% of households. The figure rose to 60% and roughly 68% of households in 1981 and 1991 respectively and hovered around that level in 2001 before showing a slight decrease to around 64% in the final year.

By contrast, renting accommodation began at approximately 78% of households in 1981 but experienced a drop to 68% in 1939 and remained at this portion in 1953 too before plummeting to around 31% in 2001. Nevertheless, the percentage went up to about 37% in 2011.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response effectively covers the main trends and provides a clear overview of the data. You successfully identified the key turning point in 1971 and contrasted the inverse relationship between owned and rented accommodation. However, there is a significant factual error in the final paragraph: you stated that renting began at 78% in 1981, whereas the chart indicates this figure was for 1918. This inaccuracy impacts the accuracy of your reporting. To reach a higher band, ensure that data points are transcribed precisely from the visual aid, as misreading the graph affects the overall quality of the summary.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. You use cohesive devices such as 'By contrast,' 'Nevertheless,' and 'before experiencing' to guide the reader through the data. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two categories. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, though the transition between the description of owned and rented properties could be more seamless. The use of referencing is generally clear, and the overall structure supports the reader's understanding of the trends presented in the chart.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'proportion,' 'plateaued,' 'plummeting,' and 'hovered.' These words are appropriate for describing statistical trends. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'raise' instead of 'rise' (a noun vs. verb confusion). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the information clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for the higher bands. Expanding your repertoire of collocations related to data trends would help elevate your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'the lowest figure on chart' (missing an article 'the') and the previously mentioned confusion between 'raise' and 'rise.' Punctuation is generally handled well, though some sentences could benefit from more careful proofreading to ensure subject-verb agreement and correct article usage. The errors present do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching the level of 'frequent error-free sentences' required for a higher band.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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